There are not too many people today who haven’t heard the term ‘influencer’. With the rise of social media and the internet, influencers have become an integral part of our lives. They represent a marketing persona with a range of views and behaviours. And they can offer a platform from which to reach a targeted audience quickly and effectively.
Understanding influencers and influencer marketing
An influencer is an individual who has the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others due to their authority, knowledge, or relationship with their audience. Influencers come in various forms, ranging from social media stars to industry experts. They have built a loyal following who trust their opinions and recommendations. Their credibility with their audience is what you covert for your marketing.
For instance, a beauty influencer might review a skincare product. Because the influencer represents a person of authority in this space, they are likely to encourage others to try the product too.
Through social media the influencer is able to build a connection with followers. Followers, in turn, typically admire the influencer. The power of influencers lies in their ability to connect with their audience on a personal level and so influence their purchasing decisions far more powerfully than a generic TV advert of website advertising campaign.
Identifying your target audience
Before you start the process of finding your perfect influencer or influencers, you need to know who your target audience is. Understanding your audience’s preferences, interests, and demographics will help you narrow down your search and find the right influencer to connect with your market.
Conducting market research is imperative if you want to gain insights into your target audience. You can use surveys, focus groups, or analyse social media data to understand their needs and desires better.
Influences should never contradict you brand values and should ideally align with them. If your brand advocates for sustainability, for example, it would make sense to find an influencer who also shares these values.
Research and Shortlisting
Once you have clear understanding of your target audience, it’s time to start researching potential influencers. Start by exploring social media platforms where influencers thrive. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok is where most hang out. You can also use influencer directories such as Ethical Influences or contact specialised agencies that can help you find suitable candidates.
Shortlisting will be based on your key criteria, including price and relevance. Look for influencers who create content relevant to your industry or product. For example, if you own a fashion brand, you would want to collaborate with fashion influencers who have a genuine interest in your niche. Consider the level of engagement an influencer receives on their posts. High engagement, such as likes, comments, and shares, indicates that their followers are genuinely interested in their content.
Consider what other recommedations the influencer has made in the past. This way you can gauge how well aligned they are to your product or service and the extent to which their endorsement will be viewed as credible. Authenticity is a key consideration when choosing an influencer to collaborate with.
Building Relationships
Once you have identified potential influencers you will need to establish a professional relationship by drawing up a contract. Influencers are professionals with their own expectations from any collaboration. They will be well aware of what they can offer and will expect to be fairly compensated. In turn, you will need to be clear on what you expect from the arrangement.
If you put the effort in to nurturing a long term relationship with the influencers you will ensure a deeper understanding of your product or service, company, goals and brand. This level of understanding and appreciation could result in more genuine endorsements that may go beyond any paid advertising in the future.
And finally…
Marketing is all about getting your message in front of your market and the means by which we do that is always changing. While there are a range of channels through which a marketing professional can promote their wears, influencers constitute an important and growing addition that should not be overlooked.